Treatment

Drug addiction in the United States has always been a problem, but in more recent years it has become a much bigger problem, especially with the ease that the younger generation can obtain drugs. Most admissions into drug addiction treatment facilities in the year 2008 were due to alcohol, which ranks at 23.1% of admissions, or alcohol plus one other drug, which ranks at 18.3%, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Quick Statistics

In the year 2009, 23.5 million people ages 12 and older needed drug addiction treatment for alcohol, illicit drug use, or a mixture of both.

Of the 23.5 million people that needed treatment, only approximately 11.2% of those people received treatment at a specialty facility.

23.1% of admissions in 2008 were due to alcohol

18.3% of admissions were due to alcohol in combination with another drug

17% of admissions were due to marijuana

14.1% of admissions were due to heroin

8.1% of admissions were due to smoked cocaine (crack)

Signs of Drug Addiction

Drug addiction is a condition that can happen to anyone. Addiction does not necessarily target just the weak, it can happen to someone who appears to be very strong. Drug addiction is officially defined as the dependence on alcohol or drugs. Addiction usually starts out as casual use and ends up as an addiction. There are a few tell tale signs of addiction:

Feeling the need for the alcohol or drugs. This includes daily or several times per day.

Ensuring the supply of the addicted substance never runs low

Spending money on the substance even when money is not available to be spent

Participating in activities such as stealing to acquire the substance

Feeling as if it is not possible to face life without the substance

Participating in activities that put yourself or others at risk, such as driving under the influence

Focusing constant time and energy on getting and using the substance

These are just a few of many different types of signs that show an individual might have a problem with addiction.

Benefits of Inpatient Treatment

Inpatient treatment for drug addiction is a road to recovery that offers encouragement along the way. With an inpatient treatment center, individuals who are suffering from drug addiction can benefit emotionally, mentally, and physically. Benefits of an inpatient center highly outweigh the negatives.

Structure

Support

Absolutely no access to the substance that is being abused

Supervision

No negativity

Structure is the number one benefit of inpatient treatment. Very little free time is allowed to patients in an inpatient facility. This type of structure allows progress to be made against the addiction and the patient’s mind to be kept busy.

Support is also a very big benefit of inpatient treatment. Fighting an addiction is not an easy process. In the early stages of fighting an addiction support is necessary. With an inpatient facility, support is available to the patients 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Having no access to the substances that are being abused is also a major benefit of inpatient treatment. While a patient is at an inpatient facility, access to the outside world is strictly monitored. This makes it impossible for patients to gain access to the substance that is being abused.

While an individual is a patient at an inpatient facility, they are under constant supervision. This is particularly important when a patient goes through a withdrawal stage that can turn dangerous to the patient’s health. Whether it is a mental or physical withdrawal, constant supervision is provided to make certain the patient is kept in the best physical and mental health possible.

Having no access to negativity is a very important part of an individual’s recovery. While in an inpatient facility, visitors and phone calls are closely monitored to provide the best recovery path for the individual possible. If negative influences are affecting the patient, these influences are quickly done away with. While in the vulnerable stage of recovery, patients thrive off of positive influences in their life.

In Closing

Drug addiction is a problem faced by many at any point in time in the United States. Addiction can happen to anyone. Just because an addiction has occurred does not mean overcoming it is not possible. When it comes time recovery is on the individual’s mind, inpatient facilities provide many benefits to get the individual back on the right track.